Retainer clips for windshield wiper refills are widely used and their functions are well known. In conventional backing strips, laterally-spaced longitudinally-extending grooves are provided to locate the claws of the associated wiper superstructure and the bead of the squeegee is accommodated in a central slot or opening formed between the grooves. A flat-topped web which forms the connection between the grooves and the slot defines a bearing surface for a retainer clip.
In order to accommodate slender wiper profiles in which the claws of the wiper superstructure are closer together, Applicant developed a "narrow gauge" refill in which the slot for the bead of the squeegee is disposed above the longitudinally-extending grooves so that only the narrow neck portion of the squeegee needs to be accommodated between the grooves. The selected profile for the resulting backing strip, shown in U.S. Design Pat. No. D 365,320, does not have a flat-topped web and therefore cannot be used with conventional retainer clips.
Applicant has accordingly developed a new retainer clip for use with the afore-mentioned backing strip and which has advantageous features for use with conventional backing strips.